Root Cause Analysis Techniques

GOAL: To share different root cause analysis techniques that we use in retrospectives, especially Cause and Effect Diagrams, and fishbone diagrams.

Some references:

Henrik Kniberg - A3 Thinking

Jerry Weinberg - Systems Thinking

Eli Goldratt - Theory of Constraints

Don Gray - Quality Software Management

Glenda Eoyang - CDE Model

Can be used with A3 thinking

Can use symbols and colour coding on the diagrams

See also a diagram of effects as a variation

Try to avoid negative statements as double negatives get confusing

Solution focused coaching uses wishbone which looks forward rather than backwards

Instead of 5 whys, ask the 5 what fors: What is it good for?

Can use a fishbone with predefined branches, or without or a mix

The bones are what enables the result

Can look at different states on a timeline

Look at each and decide if it influences the others, if so draw a line

Containers can be goals, identities, physical

Differences and containers often overlap

Not all differences make a difference, select the ones that do and try to either dampen or amplify the container depending on the impact.

Exchanges can be interactions, flow of value, reward structure. Try to determine if there is a feedback loop and how tight it is.

Core Fractal Unit